


The Galaxies League Finale: Alliance Rogues United vs. Imperial Stars

by NewLeeland



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Galaxies League Finale, Humor, Refereeing is tough, Rogue One Soccer AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2018-12-22 03:03:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11958369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewLeeland/pseuds/NewLeeland
Summary: The Galaxies League Finale between the underdogs of Alliance Rogues United and the four-time winners Imperial Stars promises to be an unmatched display of brilliant soccer, crunching tackles, heated discussions and lots and lots of drama.Our reporters here at ASF have spared no effort to make you feel like you're not just watching or reading about the game, no: Our coverage wil take you right on the pitch!





	1. Match press kits

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, the Rogue One plays Soccer AU featuring tons and tons of Legends characters. Mainly an excuse for me to - for once - use my knowledge and write all the expressions and wonderful sayings I've read in English soccer reports.
> 
> The way this story will be told might be a bit strange, but I hope it is entertaining and funny nonetheless.

* * *

 

**Galaxies League Finale 16/17**

Match Press Kits

Tarsus Valorum Stadium - Serenno

Saturday, 14 July 2017

20.45 CET (20.45 Local Time)

* * *

**Alliance Rogues United**

Squad: 

#1 **Chewbacca** : goalkeeper

#2 **Rook, Bodhi** : right back

#3 **Draven, Davits** : central defender

#4 **Melshi, Ruescott** : central defender

#5 **Organa, Leia** : left back

#6 **Malbus** , **Baze** : holding midfielder

#7 **Antilles, Wedge** : right winger

#8 **Îmwe, Chirrut** : central midfielder

#9 **Skywalker, Luke** : striker

#10 **Solo, Han** : attacking midfielder

#11 **Erso, Jyn** : left winger

#12 **Dodonna, Jan** : reserve goalkeeper

#13 **Sefla, Taidu** : defensive midfielder

#14 **Dameron, Kes** : versatile defender

#15 **Bey, Shara** : winger (attacking and defending)

#16 **Tonc, Stordan** : central defender

#17 **Tuesso, Kay** : striker

#18 **Andor, Cassian** : Captain, midfielder

 

Lineup (4-3-3): Chewbacca - Rook, Draven, Melshi, Organa - Malbus - Îmwe, Andor © - Antilles, Skywalker, Erso

Bench: Dodonna (GK), Dameron, Tonc, Bey, Sefla, Solo, Kay

Coach: Mothma

 

Advanced to the finals by beating Confederate State 4-2 on aggregate (1-1 in the away leg, 3-1 at home)

 

It was as a surprise to many that the Alliance Rogues made it all the way to the final, eliminating renowned teams like Confederate State and Nar Shaddaa Hutts on their way. Coach Mothma has formed a very young and even more talented team that plays like one big unit. Despite having different personalities and skills, the team spirit has been excellent, even in tough situations like the away leg against Confederate state. If that will be enough against the cold efficiency of the Imperial Stars remains to be seen.

* * *

**Imperial Stars**

Squad: 

#1 **Vader, Dave** : goalkeeper

#2 **Lennox, Xamuel** : right back

#3 **Romodi, Hurst** : central defender

#4 **Yularen, Wulff** : central defender

#5 **Tarkin, Gideon** : wing back

#6 **Tagge, Cassio** : holding midfielder

#7 **Ramda, Sotorus** : left wing back

#8 **Krennic, Orson** : central midfielder

#9 **Motti, Conan Antonio** : striker

#10 **Tarkin, Wilhuff** : Captain, central midfielder

#11 **Piett, Firmus** : second striker

#12 **Bast, Moradmin** : substitute goalkeeper

#13 **Daala, Natasi** : striker

#14 **Veers, Maximilian** : attacking midfielder

#15 **Ozzel, Kendal** : midfielder

#16 **Adema, Mytus** : variable midfielder

#17 **Needa, Lorth** : versatile and reliable defender

#18 **Jerjerrod, Tiaan** : ineffective reserve striker

 

Lineup (4-4-2): Vader - Lennox, Yularen, Romodi, Ramda - Tagge - W. Tarkin ©, Krennic - Veers - Motti, Daala

Bench: Bast (GK), Needa, G. Tarkin, Adema, Ozzel, Piett, Jerjerrod

Coach: Palpatine

 

Advanced to the finals by beating Onderon Partisans 5-1 on aggregate (0-0 in the home leg, 5-1 in the away leg)

 

The Imperial Stars have been the team to beat over the last five years. Experience and cold efficiency are what describes the team best and while some young talents have been recruited by coach Palpatine (who unsuccessfully tried to convince Alliance striker Skywalker to "join him"), they have seen very little of the pitch in this season. On a good day, the Imperials are nearly unstoppable, but petty internal clashes (Tarkin vs. Krennic!) have more than once thrown a wrench in the works. It will be especially interesting to see how the solid backline will deal with the fast Alliance strikers.

* * *

**Match officials:**

Referee: Pavel Štrba (Slovakia)

Assistant referees: Vladimír Vydra (Czech Republic), Petr Pekhart (Czech Republic)

Fourth official: Václav Rosický (Czech Republic)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A visual representation of both line-ups can be found [here](https://thenewleeland.tumblr.com/post/164858007241/the-line-ups-for-the-rogue-one-soccer-au).


	2. The Pre-Game Show with Voren and Rivoche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reporters Rivoche Tarkin and Voren Na'al introduce the teams and the players of this year's final.

* * *

 

“Hello, and welcome to our coverage of this year’s Galaxies League finale between the Alliance Rogues United and the Imperial Stars. I’m Voren Na’al and sitting right next to me is my charming colleague, Rivoche Tarkin.”

“Hello. You're far too kind, Voren.”

“I don't think so and I believe our viewers would agree. We’re live at the Tarsus Valorum Stadium in Serenno and psyched to lead you through a fixture that promises to be one of the best soccer matches the world has ever seen.”

"Indeed, Voren. Who doesn’t enjoy the age-old battle of underdog versus favorite, youth versus experience, new blood versus old guard, champions versus challengers?"

"For anyone who does, this finale will be a feast for the eyes."

"Exactly. The teams have already written many brilliant stories on their way here and the question is: How many new ones will be created today?"

"I have a few ideas, after all, there is quite a number of players on the Alliance side with an Imperial past. Antilles, Solo, Dodonna and Tuesso all wore the Imperial at some point. Will the legendary rivalry between the Ersos and Krennic be continued? Which captain will lead his team to the ultimate victory? I’ve seen quite a few games in my time, but this one really makes my mouth water."

“And we have the line-ups coming right in. And there are no real surprises when it comes to the Alliance, aren’t there, Gideon?”

“Not really, now. Coach Mothma decided to stick with the very successful 4-3-3-system that led them to this very final.

In goal: Chewbacca, called “The Beast”. _(The image of a tall, shaggy man with long, brown Rastas is shown.)_ Many have tried to find out what his bellowing orders mean, but only his teammates seem to understand them. His presence alone can intimidate every striker.

At right-back, young Bodhi Rook, who has admitted “being more nervous than ever before” yesterday on the press conference. But he has no reason to be, really, his performances were solid and his overlapping runs proved to be quite the weapon in the run to the finals. A little bit more confidence in himself and he could be a game-changer, despite his defensive position.

In central defence, there is really no way to get past Davits Draven, even in the line-up. The no-nonsense man is firmly in charge of his defensive line, which is why he is the “General” and Andor just the “Captain”. And although he is not above harshly criticizing his own teammates on the pitch, it’s safe to say no one would want to play without him."

"Not even Erso?"

"She won’t admit it, but yes."

"His partner in crime is the Scot Ruescott Melshi, just in time returning after a face injury he suffered after a crash with teammate Erso in that away game in Wobani. A very experienced man, quieter than Draven, but still a formidable opponent for every other striker.

Completing the back four is young Leia Organa, the daughter of legendary playmaker Bail Organa and the no-less impressing Breha Organa. At age 19, she’s pretty young for such a big event, but she’s a prodigy alright. And although every time she plays, rumors that she only does so because of the friendship between her father and her coach are getting loud, even the harshest critics can’t deny that she’s worth watching.

Baze Malbus has a lot weight on his shoulders as the single holding midfielder, but just like Draven, this gruff tower of a a man would do anything for his teammates. His place isn’t in the spotlight, but he’s one of those players you instantly miss when they’re not on the pitch. His catapult-like thrown-ins have wreaked havoc on quite a number of backlines in the past.

In the command center that is the central midfield lies the strength of the Alliance. Soccer Weekly called the duo Chirrut Îmwe and Cassian Andor as the “most unlikely to be but still successful duo.”

"Yes, it is such a pleasure to see Îmwe dribble through swarms of opponents, he’s just such an incredible graceful player, but without any sign of obstinacy. Quite the opposite, I’ve never seen anybody work so hard for the team. And some Alliance fans would give their livers for one of his magic no-look passes. You get the feeling he would find his teammates even if he was blindfolded."

"In the same interview, Soccer Weekly compared Cassian Andor to Mexican national team captain Andrés Guardado. And they ain’t wrong here either?"

"The similarities are there. Both aren’t the loudest, the shrillest or the most famous persons, but still natural leaders and born captains. Apart from that, Andor’s left foot strikes fear into the heart of every keeper, no matter if he uses it for long distance attempts, his feared set-pieces or for his brilliant passes over dozens of yards."

"Andor scored twice in a clinched semi-final second leg against his old team Confederate State, underlining a brilliant performance."

"Profiting from the brilliant service dealt by their midfielders are the three up front, a brilliant mix of youth, fire and athleticism.

On the right wing, Wedge Antilles, a very talented man whom you can always depend on. He’s great at providing assists and always looking out for his teammates, but don’t let that fool you. Give him an opportunity and his finish is just as deadly."

"Deadly finish is just the perfect way to describe Luke Skywalker. Like Leia Organa, he’s just 19, but as calm and collected as any striker with ten more years and 700 more matches to his name. No matter who plays supplier, be it Îmwe, Andor, Erso, Antilles or sometimes even Rook or Malbus, he shoots, he scores. No wonder hordes of girls are having the hots for the dreamy and shy central attacker."

"Rounding up the line-up is the player who is everything but “shy”. Jyn Erso may be small, but her quick feet, her technical skills and her fighting spirit leave opponents twice her size floored. However, instead of the calmness of her father Galen, she inherited the passion of her mother Lyra. And that’s why she accumulated five bookings in ten games and was suspended twice already. It seems Andor is the only one being able to calm her done once she’s on fire."

"There’s still some talent left on the bench should Coach Mothma deem it fit to make some substitutions later on. While second goalkeeper Jan Dodonna would only be a choice in case of an emergency, the versatile defenders Kes Dameron and Stordan Tonc are good options no matter how the game goes. Same goes for Taidu Sefla, who could provide some more defensive stability in midfield.

And for the attacking mindset, we have Shara Bey, an excellent alternative for both wings. Rumours have it that she doesn’t mind sitting on the bench so much as long as Dameron is sitting right next to her.

Han Solo, on the other hand, will be less than pleased to find himself on the bench, but it is an understandable decision. For all his talent, he showed a lack of teamplay in the past and that could really hurt them today. Also, it’s not bad having a wildcard like him in the pocket should the need arise.

The Alliance team might be smaller in average than their opponents, but the biggest player in both squads is the towering striker Kay, almost seven feet tall. A rather cynical fellow, he is more of a stodgily player you throw on if you are in desperate need of a goal.

All in all, Coach Mothma has fielded her best team?"

"Yes, Rivoche, definitely. Some have speculated that maybe Solo could start or Kay to have some physicality against the tall Imperial central defenders, but this lineup has brought them to the final and it’s absolutely justified to let them start this way."

* * *

 

"When it comes to experience, the Imperial Stars are the odds-on favorites. Coach Palpatine has found a good mix of veteran players and some young talents in his 4-4-2 system, but he desperately struggles to unite a divided team, even if it is just for 90 or more minutes."

"And his troubles begin in goal: Dave Vader is perhaps one of the best goalkeepers ever to walk upon the face of the earth, but all goalies are more or less insane and Vader is even more so. He missed both semi-final matches and the away leg of the quarter-final after being sent off for choking his own teammates Kendal Ozzel and Lorth Needa after conceding a goal which - according to Vader’s perspective - was possible only due to their errors. His three-match-suspension ended just early enough to allow him to take the field today, but we all can guess what it means for the team. However, second goalkeeper Moradmin Bast is not really an alternative, so Vader - Palpatine’s favorite - plays after all."

"The defensive four is a hard nut to crack for any opponent. Right-back Xamuel Lennox and both central defenders Wulff Yularen and Hurst Romodi have ten years of experience each and are not just hard-working, but also really capable players. Especially Romodi is a tough as nails defender, although a head injury made him miss a few games this season. He is not the tallest man, but that should help him against the smaller, quick Alliance strikers. Lennox is more of a central defender by trait, so his call-up on the wing is a minor surprise, especially considering he is up against the vibrant Erso."

"The glaring weakness in their defensive line-up is left back Sotorus Ramda, who was very vulnerable in nearly every match he played. It might sound harsh, but he gives off a lacklustre vibe, both when it comes to his movements and to his decision making. So, that is definitely one exploitable point that fast wingers like Erso and Antilles are just waiting to pounce on."

"Reliable and cautious Cassio Tagge is the single defensive midfielder and an additional bolster to an already strong defending line. It’s a shame he’s standing in the shadow of the two men that play right in front of him."

"Yes, Wilhuff Tarkin and Orson Krennic are two top class players in central midfield, both gifted with a vision and a feeling for tactics that make them natural architects of the game. However, they are too much alike. We remember all too well how tempers flared in the home leg against the Onderon Partisans and with their creative department fighting against each other, the Imperials had a rather uninspired game, 0-0 it ended. In the second leg in Jedha City Stadium however, their teamplay was excellent and both scored twice in the 5-1 rout that was a devastating end to the brilliant career of Partisan captain Saw Gerrera."

"No less dangerous is Maximilian Veers, who plays a mixture of an attacking midfielder and a supporting striker. A brilliant combination of technique and sheer power, his solo runs wreak havoc amidst any opponent's defence. His 1,93 metres also make him a dangerous target man for crosses and set-pieces."

"The hopes in the front line rest upon the shoulders of two young and talented, but also bull-headed strikers. 18-year old Natasi Daala is the youngest player in both squads today and although nobody can deny her talent, nearly everybody agrees that such an important task and game like this today is too much too soon. Captain Tarkin reacted angrily when confronted with this questions yesterday and voiced his firm believe in Daala."

"A bit older, but even more controversial is Conan Antonio Motti. He and Daala only played together once in the away game at Hapes and it was a disaster. You can argue that Motti and his unorthodox ideas don’t sit well with his veteran teammates, but nonetheless he has shown promise. Teamplay will be the deciding factor for the Imperials tonight though, and it seems like Palpatine took quite a risk by fielding two potential trouble spots."

"On the bench, we have second goalkeeper Moradmin Bast and - surprisingly - both Lorth Needa and Wilhuff’s younger brother, Gideon Tarkin. We would have expected at least one of them in the starting line-up, as both are good alternatives for the wingback positions."

"Mytus Adema is another up-and-coming talent for various midfield positions. Kendal Ozzel has nothing speaking for him except his self-confidence, he continually failed to make an impression this year. And while Firmus Piett is an excellent option for the supporting striker position, the same cannot be said for Tiaan Jerjerrod, who is the only other forward left on the bench. Nobody doubts his courage and his dedication, but he simply scores not enough goals."

"And just as we finish our look at the squads tonight, I hear it is almost time for the kick-off! We’re on a short break which will be followed by our text coverage, provided to you by our third live reporter, Gylfi Þórsson."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A visual representation of both line-ups can be found [here](https://thenewleeland.tumblr.com/post/164858007241/the-line-ups-for-the-rogue-one-soccer-au).


	3. 1st Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first 45 minutes!

Live-Ticker 

19:54

Hello and welcome from me as well to ASF’s live coverage of the Galaxies League final Alliance Rogues United versus Imperial Stars. I’m Gylfi Þórsson and I will be responsible for describing you in detail what happens on the pitch and in the stadium.

19:55

And under the tumultuous applause of the 75,000 fans, the teams leave the catacombs and march onto the pitch, led by their captains Cassian Andor and Wilhuff Tarkin respectively.

19:57

The Galaxies League hymn has been played and you could see nervousness in the eyes of some of the players, not just the young ones.

19:58

Well, well, well, if looks were punishable offences, we would have some cards out already. There’s clearly no love lost between these two teams. Shake hands? More like break hands here.

My colleagues have informed me that Galen Erso, the master of analyzing weaknesses in his opponent’s gameplan, and his wife Lyra have been spotted in the stands. Not surprising, considering their daughter could become the third Erso to lift the trophy tonight.

19:59

The captains and the match officials convene at the mid-circle for the coin toss. Tarkin wins and chooses to proceed with the kick-off.

* * *

 

Pavel Štrba wouldn’t deny being nervous, after all, refereeing such a big finale was a first for him and oppurtunities like this were few and far in between. Getting another one - even if his team would put on an excellent performance tonight - would be a small miracle.

But these were thoughts for another time, for now, he had a match to referee. A fascinating one indeed. He had closely monitored the faces of the players during the march to the pitch and there were so many different emotions displayed by the teams. Some of the younger ones with mouths opened in awe, others calm and collected.

The two captains who met with him for the coin toss were special cases. The Imperial captain, Tarkin, was all reserved British politeness, courteous, but cold. Alliance captain Andor on the other hand had an eerily calm expression, his face empty of any emotions as he shook hands with the older man and Štrba himself.

As the Alliance had won the first semi-final, they were technically the home team and as such, he approached Andor first.

“Very well, captain, your choice: heads or tails?” His voice was relaxed, even a bit humorous.

Andor’s facial expression did not change. “Tails,” was his simple answer.

With way more folderol than necessary, Štrba tossed the coin in the air, catching it mid-flight with his right hand and then slamming it down onto the back of his left hand.

“Heads,” he proclaimed, showing the result to both captains while trying not to let the coin fall down. _That would be a splendid way to start this match. Having to repeat the coin toss,_ he thought with self-mockery before facing Tarkin.

“Your choice, Sir.”

Tarkin inclined his head just a bit before replying with the same cold expression on his gaunt face. “We’ll take the ball.”

“Very well. Good luck to both of you and keep it fair,” Štrba replied, his voice getting more firm and authoritative with the last few words. Another round of shaking hands and Andor and Tarkin departed to share a last few words with their teams.

* * *

 

His teammates had already made a circle, arms over each other’s shoulders as Cassian slipped in, finding his place between Jyn and Melshi. He ignored the slight feeling of excitement Jyn’s touch brought. There was time for that later.

“Alright, I won’t say much. We all know who we are, where we are and why we are here. We know what we can do. Make eleven us feel like a hundred! Go Rogues!”

“Go Rogues!” The rest of the team echoed before departing towards their positions on the field. Draven immediately bellowed orders to his fellow defenders while Cassian took his spot in the midfield to the left of Chirrut, who game him his trademark smile and looked as calm as if this was a mere practice game. Calmness would be important. He had noticed how Bodhi, Luke and even Leia were clearly a bit intimidated by their surroundings. But he trusted them all nevertheless. Each of them had proven their worth more than a few times.

* * *

On the Alliance bench, Coach Mothma had already made the trip to the sideline, her face betraying slight worries.

“Well, Kay, what are the chances for us winning this game?” Defender Stordan Tonc jovially asked. Unlike a brooding Solo, he had taken his replacement in the starting eleven gracefully. Next to him sat Sefla and next to the midfielder Bey and Dameron, already holding hands.

Kay’s large stature almost made him to big to sit on the bench and he had to duck every time he wished to stand up. With an almost robotic voice, the blond striker replied. “43.7 percent. Of course, it is subject to change with every moment the game progresses.”

* * *

On the Imperial bench, Coach Palpatine resembled a rather old man sitting in a rocking chair, hands folded in the long sleeves of his rather unpractical robes. The rest of the team remained silent, eyes on the field and focused on what was to come. Expect Kendal Ozzel, whose face looked like he had bitten in a particularly sour fruit.

* * *

“Gentleman,” captain Tarkin began while striding down the ranks of his teammates, all arrayed like an army regiment during roll call. “And lady,” he added with a nod to the only woman in the team, Natasi Daala. “Today, we have to prove our dominion of this sport once again. I know many of you see our opponent as a horde of undisciplined rabble. You may be partially right, but that does not mean we won’t take them lightly. We will carefully analyze their gameplan and then crush them with one swift stroke. Positions!”

* * *

19:59

Let’s have a quick look at our referee team: The man at the whistle is the Slovakian Pavel Štrba, he will be assisted by his fellow countrymen Vladimír Vydra and Petr Pekhart. In charge of keeping matters down at the sidelines is Václav Rosický.

Štrba sure loves his cards, he handed out no less than fourteen cautions and two expulsions in his last game, the return leg of the quarter-final between the Onderon Partisans and Republic United. Considering how fierce the rivalry is, will we see similar dimensions here?

* * *

1st minute

Motti and Daala open this year’s Galaxies League Finale with the kick-off. The Imperials in grey are playing from right to left. The Alliance sports their well-known red and white kit.

2nd minute

A rather cautious start from both sides, who prefer to pass the ball around and get a footing in this important match.

4th minute

First glimpse of the Imperial attacking line. A long ball from Romodi in defence is cleared away by Draven. Throw-in for the Imperials close to the Alliance penalty box.

**5th minute** : Yellow Card: Sotorus Ramda (Imperial Stars)

We already talked about the weakness in the Imperial line-up and the Alliance exploited it here. The throw-in is cleared and Îmwe immediately releases Erso, who surges down the left flank. Ramda can’t follow and brings her down by grabbing her shoulder. Of course that’s an early booking for the wingback.

* * *

“Pay, attention, you imbecile! Even the tiniest moments of distraction will not be tolerated!”

* * *

6th minute

Ramda has to deal with a stern talk from Captain Tarkin before the free kick is whipped in by Andor. No problem for the Imperial backline, Yularen rises highest and heads it out of the danger zone.

8th minute

In the last few minutes, the different approaches to this match have become clear. The Imperials are struggling to take control of the midfield and have the lion’s share at possession. Again and again, Tarkin and Krennic are the target men for their teammates, hoping for an inspired moment.

The Alliance is currently sitting back in defence, but their quick counter-attacks are more than just a vague threat.

10th minute

Almost the first goal of the match! Malbus robs Motti of possession deep into the Alliance half and then it’s way too quick for the Imperials. Andor’s sixty-meter-pass is custom-tailored for Skywalker, who dazes past Yularen and has only Vader to beat. But faced with such a daunting opponent, the young striker tumbles and can only steer his shot wide of the Imperial goal. Huge let off for Palpatine’s men!

13th minute

No gaps in the Alliance defence line, so Veers tries his luck from range. Chewbacca gathers comfortably.

14th minute

The Imperial wings are both down, too much traffic in the center. Right back Lennox goes to the byline, but his cross is blocked by Antilles, who raced all the way to the touchline to help out his defence. The following corner lands in the paws of Chewbacca.

16th minute

And yet another great chance for the Rogues! Again a quick counter-attack leaves the Imperial backline in tatters: This time, Îmwe plays in Erso on the left wing who sells her man a dummy before delivering an inch-perfect cross to the back post. Skywalker is there, but Vader pulls off a spectacular reflex and directs the ball over the crossbar! Top class from all those involved.

16th minute

Vader is less than pleased and has some serious words with his defenders. Just words. For now.

* * *

“You have failed me for yet another time. Do not fail me again.”

* * *

17th minute

Short Alliance corner. Antilles tries to dribble past Romodi, but the veteran is up to the task.

18th minute

Remarkable: Both young Alliance full backs, Organa and Rook, perform very well tonight. In the central midfield, there are some highly contested duells with Tagge, Krennic, Tarkin, Andor, Îmwe and Malbus in the middle. The Imperials have yet to gain significant ground.

20th minute

Krennic’s mistimed pass is far too long for Lennox to reach. You can feel the tension within the Imperial team even up here.

21st minute

Rock-solid defending by Alliance chief Davits Draven, who calmly robs Motti of possession. Both Imperial strikers are completely out of the picture so far.

22nd minute

Close! Tarkin loses patience and tries his luck with a thunderbolt from 22 metres. Chewbacca is on the stretch, but the ball only thunders into the advertising board behind the goal. Still, this could be a signal for the Imperials. Great attempt by their captain.

23rd minute

The Alliance tries a counter-attack, but this time, Tagge is wide awake and intercepts Andor’s pass. Veers rampages down the left flank, tricks his way past Rook and goes for goal. Chewbacca palms the shot away. The Imperials are on a tear here!

24th minute

Alliance left-back Organa is in dire straits as she has to face not only Lennox, but also Daala and Krennic, who have strengthened the wing to gain a numerical advantage. Erso is nowhere to be seen. Lennox’s cross is cleared for a corner by Draven who proceeds to give it to Erso straight. Meanwhile, Tarkin takes the corner kick, finding the head of Motti. Chewbacca is there once again, strong save.

* * *

Davits Draven was not a patient man and he would it admit it without a moment of hesitation. He was not the most fun to be around, rather gruff and with edges. But everything he did, he did for his team. Therefore, it struck him personally when other players forgot their teamwork.

Jyn Erso was talented and a good winger, he would admit it without hesitation or teeth crunching. But she constantly forgot - or worse: ignored - that her job was not only to create confusion in the opponent’s backline, but also to help stabilize their own defence. Considering that their system heavily relied on their wingers to support their wing backs, her dereliction of duty was probably fatal. He had warned Coach Mothma several times, but she always had been far too gentle with her admonishments.

“Erso! Support Organa for force’s sake and do your bloody job!” There wasn’t really time for more as even while he spoke, Tarkin sprinted towards the corner flag.

* * *

25th minute

Paradox, the first team to suffer from an internal error was the Alliance, not the Imperials.

27th minute

Erso once again neglects her defensive duties and Organa has her hands full to keep Motti at bay this time. Another corner for the Imperials, but the game halted as Krennic demands treatment. Captain Andor has a word with Erso here, no doubt reminding her to help out her full back.

* * *

Cassian had watched with presentiment how his team struggled after a strong start and was now on the verge of losing control. Leia did her best, but she alone would not be able to stop Imperial attacks on her side. That was Jyn’s job too, as Draven had reminded her harshly.

One thing that was bothering him about their relationship was that they had to keep it somehow secret, but of course everyone in the team knew it. Most of them approved of it, as they weren’t the only ones. Shara and Kes had been a couple even before playing together and also Leia would never admit it, there was way more than camaraderie between her and Han Solo. Draven had been the only one who had voiced criticism - in a formal, polite way - but Cassian Andor wouldn’t let that stop him or her. To be honest, he would have quit playing at this very second if that meant he could be with Jyn freely. But he knew she wouldn’t and she wouldn’t appreciate him letting go of his dreams for her. Especially if they could achieve them together.

So he took the brief moment of respite while Krennic was treated by an Imperial medic (“There has to be a bruise. Find it!”) and snuck up to Jyn, who had taken up position at one of their goalposts to defend the following corner.

He ignored the small skirmishes and a bit of trash talk going on in the penalty box where Alliance and Imperial players stood, awaiting Tarkin’s set piece. Jyn leaned on the post with one hand, eyes firmly on Tarkin. He had to admire her mindfulness. It made him want to kiss her even more, but for now he simply bumped into her shoulder before bending down to whisper something in her ear.

“Jyn, please help Leia. She really needs you if she’s up against two.”

Jyn didn’t react really, but an almost invisible nod of her head and just a brief squeeze of her hand in his signaled that she had understood. Cassian could even feel that she was a bit ashamed.

There wasn’t time for more as the corner was floated in and Melshi headed it away.

* * *

29th minute

Close to half an hour into the final and the Imperials have been on the front foot in the last few minutes after surviving two early scares at the hands (or more accurate: feet) of Skywalker. A dangerous Krennic through ball does not lead to a goal as Motti and Daala get into each other’s way. Melshi shepherds the ball back to his goalkeeper.

30th minute

Erso said yesterday her team “would fight until our chances are spent.” Right now, they’re fighting a defensive battle and have wasted two excellent opportunities.

31st minute

Make that three! Sheer brilliance from Andor who steals the ball from Krennic, dashes past two defenders and then slips it through for Skywalker. But the striker wastes yet another brilliant chance and blasts it far over the bar.

* * *

“Luke. Hey, Luke!” Cassian shook the shoulder of his central striker, who looked completely dazed and not at all like the calm and collected goalscorer he had been on the way to the final. “Are you alright?”

Luke slowly nodded his blonde head, eyes on Vader, who mechanically collected a ball and prepared to take a goal kick. “I don’t know,” he replied, shaking his head to clear his mind. “Vader. He seems… familiar.”

“Well, knock it off, will you? We won’t get many of these chances!” Cassian said with stress.

“Yes. Yes, Captain Andor. Next one goes in.”

* * *

32nd minute

What a turnaround here. Antilles shows Ramda his tail lights, exchanges passes with Îmwe and tries his luck from just inside the box. Vader dives to his right to stir the ball around the post.

33rd minute

The corner is cleared, but dreadful defending by Ramda, who overlooks Erso lurking behind him, gifts the Alliance another chance. Andor tries to find Antilles with a curling mix of shot and cross, but Vader anticipates superbly and catches the ball.

**34th minute** : Yellow Card: Wulff Yularen (Imperial Stars)

How long will Palpatine have patience with the obvious safety hazard Sotorus Ramda is? Once again, the lethargic defender surrenders possession way to easily, Yularen has to stop the following attack by fouling Andor. Yellow card for the defender.

* * *

_“Voren, Sotorus Ramda performs abysmally so far? What’s your take on what coach Palpatine should do?”_

_“Yes, he is dreadful today and the fears the Imperial fans had upon reading the line-up have been justified. Ramda is slow in mind and body and it has already cost his team dearly. There are excellent alternatives, namely Gideon Tarkin and Lorth Needa, on the bench and I do believe we will see a substitution, at the latest during half-time.”_

* * *

36th minute

It’s getting ridiculous. Five foot, three inches tall Erso wins an aerial duel against the seven inches taller Ramda. Îmwe takes the ball and tries to pick up Rook on the right wing. Tarkin is there and outmuscles the young defender. Throw-in for the Imperials.

* * *

"Enough of this blundering fool. Needa! You're up!" Palpatine bellowed.

The adressed player immediately removed the jersey all substitutes had to wear, gave his neighbor Gideon a firm handshake and jogged towards the fourth official, grabbing the required slip of paper while passing his coach.

* * *

37th minute

The Imperials desperately try to keep possession, but they are far too cumbersome against the quick Alliance players. Erso rampages down the wing yet again, Ramda is nowhere to be found. She picks out Andor, who unleashes from the penalty area marking. Vader gets his fingertips on it and the ball bounces off the crossbar before Yularen hacks it to safety.

* * *

Their fingers only briefly touched when Cassian jogged past Jyn, slapping hands with her to thank her for her beautiful assist. It nevertheless sent a chill down her spine.

* * *

**38th minute** : Substitution: In: Lorth Needa, Out: Sotorus Ramda (Imperial Stars)

A sigh of relief goes through the stadium, as Palpatine finally makes the change. The utterly godawful Ramda lurks off the field and is replaced by Lorth Needa. Basically, the new man can’t do a worse job than his predecessor.

* * *

_“It was a bold decision to let Ramda play as a left back. They should rather left him back at the airport or the team hotel!”_

_“Voren!”_

* * *

39th minute

A brief reprieve for the Imperials as a bit too much physical play by Malbus earns Krennic a free kick on the left wing.

40th minute

It’s very amusing looking at the two-women-wall the Alliance defence brings into position. Jyn Erso and Leia Organa are both not much taller than 5 feet, so it’s easy for Tarkin to lift the ball into the danger zone. No one seems to get a touch, but after talking to his assistant referee, Štrba points for a corner kick.

* * *

“Corner kick!”

“Are you 100% sure, Vladimír? Last touch was a red one?”

“Yes, 100%. Red #4 with his head, minimal, but yes.”

“Okay, good job!”

* * *

41st minute

And it’s almost 1-0 to the Imperials! A few seconds ago, I was joking about the Alliance assignments for set pieces, but now I’m proven wrong. Wise decision by goalie Chewbacca to man both posts with Erso and Organa. From Tarkin’s corner kick, Veers rises the highest and directs a powerful header towards the right post, but Organa is perfectly positioned and blocks it just before the goal-line. Great defending!

* * *

“Thanks, Chewie. Uff!”

Leia Organa nearly fell to the ground when her towering keeper patted her head with one of his huge paws and roared with approval. For a moment, her head spinned, but that was gone quickly. Chewbacca always had quite … stout ways of showing his gratitude and giving compliments. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

* * *

43rd minute

The Imperials try to stay on the front foot here. Substitute Needa joins his team’s attacking efforts, but his cross doesn’t make it past Andor.

44th minute

The Alliance tries to push forward, but Malbus’s long ball over the defence only finds Vader.

45th minute

One minute will be added on, but both teams seem to be fine with the goalless draw at half-time.

45th (+1) minute

They are indeed. Referee Štrba blows his whistle and the first half is history. **Alliance 0, Imperials 0**.

 

Half-time:

_Goalless at the break, but there were a few changes for both teams to score. Does the game satisfy our expectations, Voren?_

_Yes, I’m quite happy so far. It was a slow start, but once the teams had their first sight on goal, play went much smoother. Vader saved the Imperials from falling behind in the early stages, but after half an hour, his teammates improved a lot and missed their own opportunities to open the scoring. A really open contest, and we’ll back for more analysis and of course a look at the highlights after a short break._


	4. 2nd Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will the deadlock be broken in the second half?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a way too calm first half, wasn't it? ;)

* * *

"And we’re back for our coverage of the Galaxies League finale between the Alliance Rogues United and the Imperial Stars. After a goalless first half, both teams are currently in the catacombs of the Tarsus Valorum Stadion. No doubt coaches Palpatine and Mothma are giving their teams final instructions. Voren, what do you think will Coach Mothma tell her underdogs? They’ve been quite wasteful in front of the goal!"

"Yes, and let’s hope for them they won’t rue these chances when the final whistle sounds. Especially Skywalker, who has scored eight times in his debut season, has wasted a trio of excellent opportunities. They have yet to find a way to beat Vader, who pulled off a string of top-class saves, especially when tipping Andor’s 37th minute attempt to the crossbar."

"That’s quite a lot of goalscoring chances against an Imperial defensive line that’s among the best there is!"

"Well, letting Ramda begin would have almost proved fatal, he had his part in many a good Alliance attacks. But the Alliance is quick on their feet and every time the Imperials surrender possession, you feel like it could come back to bite them immediately."

"Yet they still had their own highlights!"

"And plenty of ‘em! There’s some real attacking quality in this team and while they have struggled through periods in this first half, there were some really good spans. But not only Vader has been outstanding so far, the same goes for his colleague Chewbacca. Excellent performance from him. And Organa’s important save just before the break was just as crucial."

"What’s your prediction for the second half?"

"Anything can happen, really. We’ll see some goals, I’m sure of it. No matter how strong the goalkeepers are, one of the players will find the net. It’s just a matter of time."

* * *

Mon Mothma’s kind face was full of warmth as she looked at her players sitting on the bench of the spacious cabin. All of them had done so well in the first half and it made her proud. Very proud.

At the start of the season, many had doubted the Rogues would made it past the quarter-finals. But Mothma had always kept a close eye on their youth squads and with fresh talents like Luke and Leia joining the team and the fact that other players like Jyn, Kes, Wedge and Shara improved in their second or third year had given her hope. Add a few minor, but promising signings like Rook - overlooked in Imperial youth teams - and you had a committed and talented squad.

If they had only scored a goal! Mothma had watched with agony how Luke, Jyn, Cassian and Wedge all had brilliant opportunities to open the scoring, but Vader and bad luck stood in their way. Their defence struggled at times, but that was to be expected against such a prominent team like the Imperials.

Mothma knew the Imperials well. Palpatine had once been the coach of Republic United before changing his allegiances and convinced many good players to join the club alongside him. It had been the end of the Republic’s glorious era. Now, her young squad could topple the reigning champions and join the heroes’ pantheon.

“I’m very proud of your performance so far. We have been the better team, the team controlling the game. The only thing left to do is reward us. Jyn, Wedge: Keep the pressure high, but only if you think you have an actual chance of getting the ball. Both of you need to make the way back and support Bodhi and Leia. We cannot allow the Empire to break through on our wings. They’re far too strong in the centre for that.”

To her satisfaction, both nodded, Jyn even more firmly than Wedge. She was a good player and a kind person once you looked past the rough exterior. Mothma knew she was driven by the wish to make her parents proud and dating Cassian only made things harder. But Mothma had faith in her.

“Baze, Chirrut, Cassian: Excellent job on taking out Krennic and Tarkin. Without their creative department, they have to rely on individual efforts, and we’ve got these covered.” Malbus only nodded gruffly, Chirrut gave her his trademark smile and Cassian bowed his head.

“Luke: Stay calm. Don’t think too much, simply hit it the best you can. One of them will go in.” The blonde striker was a bit dejected, but he had to snap out of it. Nobody would care how many chances he had missed if he scored the winning goal at the end of the day.

“Carry on like you did before, but keep an eye on Veers, he’s trying to break through once he gets the ball.” Her assistant, Gial Ackbar, gave her a wink to signal the half-time was almost over. “Alright. It’s time. Go Rogues!”

“Go Rogues!” The team echoed.

* * *

“Gentlemen,” - in comparison to Tarkin, Coach Palpatine didn’t even bother addressing Daala seperately. “Your performance so far has been subpar. I expected better from the glorious Imperial Stars than to be outwitted by a bunch of whippersnappers and second-class underachievers. Such incompetence can and will not be tolerated.”

Contrary to the threatening nature of his speech, Palpatine merely sat in his chair, face wrinkled with displeasure. His players were resting on their benches, faces still and completely quiet. Palpatine’s displeasure was to be feared and all had noticed that Ramda was missing.

“We will show the rabble the full might of our Imperial team. Try to take out their wingers. Especially their young players aren’t used to more physical play. Give them a few bruises and their speed will be greatly reduced. Try to provoke Malbus and Erso in particular. Same goes for Îmwe. That might draw some reaction from them. And focus your attack on the centre. There they will break.”

* * *

21:01

Both teams are back on the pitch and the second half is only seconds away. No changes from both teams. The Alliance still can bring on three fresh players, the Imperials already used one of their substitutions earlier. Keep in mind that if we go into extra time, both teams have an additional change at hand.

* * *

This time, Cassian did not address the team. It would have been redundant and he was no man to spout, especially if it was unnecessary. One look into the faces of his teammates told it all: They were more than ready.

He allowed himself a grin. This was their night. And he pitied those who stood against them.

* * *

“You have all heard what the coach has said. His plan is foolproof. Execute it and this will be a show of power for years to come.” Tarkin’s face was even more blank now. A sign that he was far less sure than he claimed to be.

* * *

It had been a decent first half, Štrba thought. Two yellow cards, both for tactical offences, no bigger scenes to call or even player altercations. Plus, he was in the first row and could enjoy plenty good football.

He wouldn't mind if things continued this way.

* * *

46th minute 

Game on! Referee Štrba blows his whistle and Antilles and Skywalker execute the kick-off.

47th minute 

The Imperials keep the ball amongst themselves until Krennic tries to break through the Alliance defence on his own. He tricks his way past Îmwe and Malbus, but with options arriving in form of Needa (left wing) and Tarkin (right wing), the midfielder still decides to hog the ball. Andor and Draven are the final destination for him.

**47th minute** : Yellow Card: Cassio Tagge (Imperial Stars) 

Tagge has to pay the price for Krennic’s egoistic behavior and stops the Alliance counter-attack with a tactical foul on Îmwe. He’s the third Imperial player in Štrba’s book now.

* * *

He had celebrated too early, Štrba thought as he sprinted towards the halfway line, yellow card already in his hand. As soon as Krennic had lost the ball, he knew what was gonna happen. Quite obvious and to be fair, the Imperial player had tried to stop his opponent, but without the use of excessive force. But the Alliance player was still down, clutching his shin as Štrba presented the card to the Imperial player, Tagge. The stern man accepted his punishment with a nod.

Štrba bent down to check on Îmwe. “You need treatment?”

The player nodded, still clutching his shin. The Slovakian immediately gave a signal to the sidelines where the Alliance’s team doctor, Harter Kalonia, was waiting. She sprinted on the pitch - with a speed one would not expect from a woman her age - and immediately knelt down beside Îmwe.

* * *

48th minute 

Îmwe is still down and the doctors are on the pitch now. It wasn’t a malicious challenge, just cynical, but the pain is the same. It looks like a skirmish is about to unfold while the teams wait for the continuation of the game, but Andor keeps hotheads Erso and Malbus away from the opponents and the referee.

* * *

“Baze, Jyn, calm down, please. That’s exactly what they want.” The moment he and Draven had won the ball from Krennic and Cassian passed it to Chirrut, he knew what might come. Sure, he would have committed the same foul to stop an Imperial attack, but Baze was very protective of Chirrut. While Baze was tall, sturdy and muscular, Chirrut was filigree and quick on his feet.

And everyone who tried to mess with Jyn had a death wish. Her eyes were practically spearing the Imperial who had hurt Chirrut, but he was able to steer her away from the scene gently. It was obvious that the Imperials would resort to a harder pace. His job was it to keep his teammates calm.

* * *

**49th minute** : Yellow Card: Baze Malbus (Alliance Rogues United) 

This one had revenge foul written all over it. Barely two minutes after being carded, Tagge is on the receiving end, a rather agricultural challenge from Malbus leaves the holding midfielder in a heap on the floor. He also requires treatment. Štrba hands out this yellow card with a stern warning. He’d better watch out, this game could run out of his control any minute now.

* * *

His right arm shot towards Malbus like a sword thrust as he brandished the yellow card in front of the Alliance player’s face.

“I want to see none of that. The only one who’s dealing out justice on this pitch is me. Is that clear?” Štrba angrily told the midfielder, his voice getting louder and more authoritative with every second that passed. He crossed both of his hands in front of his chest before executing a maneuver similar to a closing scissor. “One more like that and you’re off,” he added, glowering at Malbus who looked completely unimpressed.

Štrba knew that this game could easily go south at any moment now. The Imperials had decided to bring more physicality in the game and it appeared like the Alliance was ready to retaliate. It could get ugly very fast. Now was the time to prove his worth.

* * *

50th minute 

Finally some football! Veers brings in a cross from the right half-field and almost finds Daala ten metres in front of the goal. And although the 18-year old does not get a touch, it was a first promising glimpse of goal.

52nd minute 

Interesting for tactic experts: The Imperials have withdrawn a bit, their back four is now positioned thirty meters in front of the goal and not at the centre line as it was in the first half. This severely constricts the spaces for the quick Alliance players, who now have to rely on their technical skills and winning the important duells in midfield.

53rd minute 

Small altercation faraway from both goals after Krennic and Andor clash in the midfield. Štrba makes it clear that he won’t tolerate any more of this!

* * *

It was a small tussle of legs in the midfield. Nothing serious. A simple foul, not worth mentioning even. Some of the fans on the stands might not even notice it.

But Krennic was Krennic and of course he had something insulting to say.

“Jeez, Andor, keep your legs away from mine. Maybe your little girlfriend enjoys that sort of contact, I surely don’t.”

Cassian merely smiled languidly. Jyn did enjoy many ways of contact. “Krennic, you should end your career, retire and open a pub. Since you’re so great at putting shots over the bar.”

"Enough of this, both of you," the annoyed voice of the referee cut in. "Or you can both watch the rest of the match in your respective cabins!"

* * *

**54th minute** : Penalty for Alliance Rogues United: Jyn Erso is fouled in the penalty area by Xamuel Lennox. 

A major uproar goes through the stadium as Štrba points to the spot and it’s a difficult decision. Îmwe lobs the ball over the defensive line into the left side of the penalty area where Erso dashes in and goes to the ground after apparently tangling her feet with Lennox. The Imperials can’t believe it.

* * *

In full sprint, Štrba followed the run of play, his eyes firmly focused on the impending challenge. It seemed like the Imperial defender - Lennox - slipped and in the process of falling to the ground also brought down Erso. He briefly glanced to the byline: Assistant referee Petr Pekhart had his flag up already, not to signal an offside position, but to support the call he was about to make. The Czech’s voice echoed in his earpiece “Penalty.”

Half a second later, Štrba whistled, right arm pointing to the penalty spot.

Slowing down, he held his posture for a few seconds to make his decision clear before walking over where Lennox knelt, an innocent and unbelieving expression on his face. The Imperial briefly shook his head as he slowly got up. “I didn’t do a thing,” he claimed.

“Maybe not intentionally.” Štrba would give him in that. “But you nevertheless brought down your opponent inside the penalty area. And that’s a foul,” he explained calmly while reaching for the card in his breast pocket and cautioning the still dumbfounded defender.

“Are you blind??!! That was a dive, clear as day!” Krennic nearly rammed into the referee, full of fury and almost spitting as he quite loudly voiced his opinion. Behind the irated midfielder, more Imperial players appeared, led by a still stone-faced Tarkin.

Sensing trouble was about to brew, Petr had come onto the field to support his referee. Štrba merely turned to Krennic with a disteful scorn. “I have quite good eyesight, thank you for your concern. Here, have a yellow card for your troubles.” It wasn’t quite textbook procedure to react with snark, maybe he should have just ignored the statement. Krennic seemed to be on the brink of eruption. Luckily, Tarkin appeared, shouldering past his teammate.

“Sir, I’m afraid you’re making a big mistake here. I emphatically urge you to reconsider.” Well, at least this complaint was formal.

“Noted, but the decision stands.”

Tarkin’s face darkened and he walked away.

* * *

**54th minute** : Yellow Card: Xamuel Lennox (Imperial Stars) 

The right wing back is booked for his challenge and just shakes his head in disbelief.

**54th minute** : Yellow Card: Orson Krennic (Imperial Stars) 

Krennic is furious about the call, but screaming at the referee will almost certainly not help his cause. In fact, it earns him a booking as well.

**55th minute** : GOAL! - 1:0 Andor (55., foul penalty, left-footed shot, assist: Erso) 

Andor doesn’t care about all the Imperial lamentations. Calm as an assassin, he steps to the penalty spot and hammers a left-footed effort straight under the bar. Vader is beaten and the Alliance celebrations are tumultuous.

* * *

From the moment the penalty was whistled, Cassian was in his own zone. He ignored everything happening around him, the Imperial protests, the reaction of the crowd. The midfielder went to gather the ball, passing Jyn who smiled cheekily at him. He returned it before composing himself again, placing the ball on the penalty spot.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, only opening them when he heard the referee whistle again, signaling he could take his shot. He didn’t look at what Vader was doing on the line, his gaze rested on the ball. Four steps and he made the connection, clean and hard as he had intended. It rifled just beneath the crossbar. Vader was a great goalkeeper, but this shot wasn’t savable.

He only sprinted a few metres towards the byline before his teammates arrived to celebrate with them. Naturally, Jyn was the first, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his body, nearly making him fall down. Cassian hugged her tightly, enjoying the brief moment until Bodhi, Leia and Chirrut arrived, all joining in on the hug.

They had the lead. But they still had a long way to go.

* * *

" _Voren, we had another look at the penalty scene: Mistake or not?"_

_"A difficult decision, but a soft call considering the TV replay. There is a contact between both legs, Erso feels it and goes down. Legitimate for sure, but still, the Imperials have a reason to feel harshly treated."_

* * *

**57th minute** : Yellow Card: Conan Antonio Motti (Imperial Stars) 

Tempers flare yet again and now we have an all-out fight! Motti hands out his own brand of justice and his studs-up challenge catches Erso’s left ankle. Štrba is immediately there, but the yellow card he brandishes fails to calm down the players.

* * *

Well, he could have guessed it. After the yellow card for Krennic and the short speech of Tarkin, the Imperials had backed down far too easily. Apparently, they decided to avenge themselves for the penalty.

The challenge was brutal, little to no chance to play the ball, full chance to injure the opponent - and that had been the goal, that much was clear.

Štrba went to the scene immediately and had only seconds to decide what colour the card would have. There were a lot of arguments for a straight read - basically all characteristics for a SFP case - serious foul play - were given.

On the other hand, a sending off immediately after a penalty could cause a final deterioration of the match. The Imperials already felt unfairly treated and a red card would only strengthen these assumptions.

Therefore, it was only a yellow card he finally took out of his pocket. Motti gave him a sly grin. Štrba went closer, entering the Imperial’s personal space. Luckily, Motti was even a bit smaller than the Slovakian, so he could hiss into the player’s ear.

“If you do so much as breathe wrong, you’re off.”

He hadn’t even taken a step back when Andor barged in and rammed Motti to the ground.

* * *

**58th minute** : Yellow Card: Cassian Andor (Alliance Rogues United) 

Motti wasn’t on his feet for long when Andor sprinted to the scene and checked the Imperial striker to the ground. One can understand the wish to defend his teammate, but he’s lucky to escape with a yellow here. Same goes for Motti of course.

* * *

Despite everything he had told his teammates, his spotless record when it came to violent reactions and the full weight of his responsibility as a captain, as a leader of his team and a role model for children and fans all around the world - all that flew out the window when he saw Jyn go down with a scream.

He only heard her painful cry and saw red.

Chirrut had noticed it - of course he had - but Cassian merely shrugged his arm away and bulldozed his way to the scene of the crime. Ignoring the referee, he barged into Motti, slamming the Imperial to the ground. He stood over the man, heavily breathing, considering what to do next.

That brief moment was enough. Strong arms grabbed him from behind - Chewie’s - and dragged him away.

* * *

Well, the game had gone out of hand. First a few yellow cards, then a penalty and now two offences demanding dismissals. Luckily, Andor had been only bumped into Motti and his teammates could refrain him from doing more.

As he had not hit his opponent with a fist or an elbow, it was still compatible with his conscience to refrain from sending Andor off. So he once again only reached for the yellow card, hoping he wouldn’t regret the decision.

Once again, Tarkin appeared at his shoulder. And once again, he seemed disgruntled. Mildly.

“I seriously hope you will get a better grip on the game, Sir. The current level of aggressiveness is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”

* * *

60th minute 

The game continues, but it’s a rather cagey affair right now. Every tackle could lead to another escalation. We’ve already seen eight cards in this match and right now, I would bet a lot that at least one team finishes this game with less than eleven players.

* * *

_"A rather unpleasant turn of events, Voren. We have first blood, but the price seems to be high."_

_"Extremely unpleasant scenes and while the frustration about the penalty is understandable, such a breakdown is unacceptable. In my opinion, both Andor and Motti should have been sent off. The Imperials know very well how close Andor and Erso are - although neither of them would admit that they were dating - and will continue to exploit this further on."_

* * *

62nd minute 

With the 1-0 lead backing them, the Alliance sits deep and waits for the Imperial attacks to come. Skywalker and Co. are lurking, hoping for yet another quick counter-attack.

**63rd minute** : Substitution: In: Firmus Piett, Out: Conan Antonio Motti (Imperial Stars) 

Apart from his nefarious challenge on Erso, Motti has shown very little today. With Piett, Palpatine introduces another veteran supporting striker.

65th minute 

The Imperial are trying to pile up pressure now that the game has calmed down a bit. Romodi passes to Tarkin, but the captain has no real options here. Back to the defender it is.

66th minute 

Leia Organa has been superb all evening. This time, the 19 year-old bests the 18-year old Daala after the striker tries to dribble past her. Throw-in for the Imperials.

68th minute 

Krennic’s been rather unobtrusive, at least when it comes to creating opportunities. His high ball shifts play to the left wing, but Rook and Antilles - just like Organa on the other position - have been excellent all night. Needa stands no chance against these two and loses possession.

68th minute 

So close! Just seventeen seconds after the scene detailed above, the round gaming device wobbles past the Imperial goal. After Antilles wins the balls, Andor immediately releases Erso who’s once more too fast for Yularen and Lennox. But the angle is too tight for a successful finish and the ball just misses the right post.

* * *

Jyn hammered the ground in frustration. It would have been perfect. A second goal and an assist by Cassian nonetheless. Something to share. She had been so close.

* * *

**69th minute** : GOAL! - 1:1 Veers (69., right-footed shot, assist: Tagge) 

That’s cruel for the Rogues, immediately after the Erso chance goes begging, the Imperials equalize. Tagge finds Veers in central midfield and the playmaker embarks on a turmoiling run through the Alliance defence. Malbus has to stay away to avoid a second yellow, Melshi can’t get his body between Veers and the ball and then it’s too late. The 32-year-old finishes with aplomb, no chance for Chewbacca. 1-1, all open now.

* * *

_"An individual effort brings the Imperial equalizer! Brilliant work by Maximilian Veers, don’t you think?"_

_"Yes, indeed. People often talk about Tarkin, Vader and Krennic, but Veers has been another outstanding player in this team, this goal is his sixth in the competition. Brilliant determination, clever and quick on his feet despite his height as he smashes through the defence like a tank and of course a calm finish. Really interesting minutes ahead of us!"_

* * *

71st minute 

The Imperials are on the front foot now, the Alliance seems shaken. Krennic is closing in on goal after yet another Tagge pass, but this time, Melshi’s tackle is perfect. Corner kick.

72nd minute 

Veers is once again the main danger man, but he can’t control his attempt. Off target.

74th minute 

Where is the Alliance response? Captain Andor and his team are hanging in the ropes right now. Piett finds room to unleash a stinging shot from distance, but Chewbacca palms it away before Rook’s clearance removes the danger.

* * *

Cassian could see it clearly: The tables had been turned against the Rogues. One individual effort and their defence turned from a fortress to a house of cards.

“Come on, guys!” He screamed, but it felt scripted. Exhaustion began to show. They all had ran at least a dozen kilometres each and the legs were getting heavy. But they had to brace themselves, mobilize their reserves. Or all would have been for nothing.

* * *

75th minute 

Coach Mothma has yet to make her first change. Skywalker has rarely seen the ball in the second half and Îmwe seems to tire. Both could be prime candidates for the first exchange.

**77th minute** : GOAL! - 1:2 W. Tarkin (77., right-footed shot, assist: Piett) 

It has been coming and now it’s there! 2-1 for the Imperials. And what a marvelous piece of attacking football it was! It starts with Romodi finding Needa racing down the right flank, whose cross is inch-perfect for Piett in the left part of the penalty area. An irresistible backheel and Tarkin has space and time to curl a wonderful shot into the top right corner. A goal worthy of winning this final for sure!

* * *

_"And the comeback is complete, I’m sure we’ll see thrilling final twelve minutes plus added time, Rivoche."_

* * *

With silent pain, Mothma watched the ball find the back of the net yet again. It had all looked so promising, but her young team payed the price for their hard-running style of play and maybe even a bit inexperience. They needed some fresh legs, new ideas and self-confidence. Lots of it.

“Han. You’re up.”

He had the decency not to smile too smugly.

* * *

**79th minute** : Substitution: In: Han Solo, Out: Chirrut Îmwe (Alliance Rogues United) 

Mothma must react now and does so by introducing the brilliant, but jocose Solo for Îmwe, who had a decent game.

80th minute 

Solo’s first contribution is a verbal duel with left-back Organa. Not sure what was going on there, but the Alliance doesn’t need it, that’s for sure.

* * *

“I swear to you, you nerfherder, if you screw this up…”

“Easy, your worshipfulness. I’m here to rescue you. Somebody has to save the day after all.”

* * *

82nd minute 

Now the Imperials are digging in deep, aiming to defend their lead till the final whistle. Antilles’ cross is headed clear by Yularen. Throw-in from the right flank.

83rd minute 

Malbus takes a few steps back and then catapults the ball deep into the penalty area. Chaos ensues, but in the end, Romodi hacks it to safety. These seven minutes will be long for Tarkin and Co.

84th minute 

It seems like Palpatine wants to take off Captain Tarkin, but after a short talk between the captain and his coach, another number flares up.

* * *

“Substitute me? In our moment of triumph?! You’re overestimating their chances. I’m staying on the pitch until the end.”

* * *

**84th minute** : Substitution: In: Gideon Tarkin, Out: Xamuel Lennox (Imperial Stars) 

Unless we’re heading into extra time, this will be the final change for the Imperials. Lennox, who had a solid game despite the penalty against him, is replaced by the younger brother of the captain Wilhuff, Gideon Tarkin. Same position though.

85th minute 

Close! Solo shows his skills, nutmegging Yularen and squaring for Skywalker, but once again, the young striker fails to capitalize on this great opportunity and shoots straight down Vader’s throat.

86th minute 

It’s a game on one goal now. Towering striker Kay will be introduced soon.

**87th minute** : Yellow Card: Ruescott Melshi (Alliance Rogues United) 

Nearly half an hour after our last caution, Štrba once again reaches for his pocket. Melshi stops an Imperial counterattack led by Piett with an obvious handball. Stonewall caution.

**88th minute** : GOAL! - 2:2 Erso (88., header, assist: Andor) 

UNBELIEVABLE! Erso scores and the game is tied once again. Brilliant work from Solo and Organa, who create space for Andor on the left corner of the penalty box. The captain lifts his head and lobs the ball to the second post, where the Imperial defence has completely forgotten about Erso. And the 1,60 metres tall winger actually heads the ball into the net, against Vader’s movement direction! 2-2!

* * *

Jyn had always felt like she should be the one delivering crosses, not waiting to turn them in. After all, her stature made her everything but an expert for headers, a fact she hated, but accepted. When it came to set pieces, she was either guarding a post - when her team defended it - stood in the wall (which was no real obstacle then) or remained somewhere outside of the penalty box to chase down loose balls and bring them back into the fray.

But now, they needed no more backups in case of an counter-attack, so she had joined the turmoil in front of Vader’s goal. For every beauty of a goal that was scored, there were at least three tap-ins, rebounds or other “ugly” goals. Two more feet just might make the difference.

The Imperials marked her teammates closely. Draven, who had hurried forward to be another option. Luke, who despite his below average height had a good headerplay. Wedge, who was slightly taller. Baze, whose physicality was direly needed.

But they forget about tiny Jyn Erso on the second post.

Her father and her mother had always told her that her height might seem like a burden, but that being overlooked sometimes had its advantages if you were clever enough. Regardless if on the pitch or off the pitch.

So when Cassian got the ball and established eye contact for the fraction of a second, she knew what was coming.

She timed her run perfectly, staying behind the last defender to avoid the offside flag and then bursting forward. The cross was perfect, with a spin that brought the ball on a height she could jump up easily.

The connection was perfect. Clean, with enough power and she was able to give it the direction she desired. Vader was frantically running towards his left post, so she aimed for the right one. Seconds felt like hours as the ball flew through the air and finally found the back of the net.

The stadion exploded.

Jyn didn’t even have time to veer away and cheer when her teammates already assailed her, Bodhi being the first to embrace her, immediately followed by a bear hug from Baze, another one from Luke, Wedge and - good lord - even Draven cuddled her like she was his favorite teddy bear. Hell, she even doubted that the “General” had an own teddy bear to cuddle back whe he was a child.

Finally, Cassian arrived and he looked at her with even more adoration than usual. She never thought that’d be possible. And then - the view of the cameras obstructed by her celebrating teammates - he kissed her.

* * *

On the other side of the pitch, two of Jyn's teammates were having a moment of their own.

“You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them.”

“Well, Leia. It’s what I do.” This time, the smug grin made Han Solo look attractive and not annoying.

* * *

89th minute 

Spectacular scenes here. Erso is nearly crushed by her teammates!

90th minute 

Four minutes will be added on, but both teams seem to plan for the extra time already. Heartbreak for the Imperials of course, but for the neutral viewer, this game has been more than thrilling. I surely don't mind watching more of it.

90th (+2) minute 

Krennic seems frustrated and pushes Rook although the wing back already shepherded the ball across the touchline. He’s got to be careful. Like his teammates Tagge and Yularen, he is already on a yellow. That could be crucial considering that the quick Alliance strikers are likely to get more spaces in extra time.

90th (+3) minute 

Erso wins a corner. Andor tries to find Solo, but the cross is too deep. Goal kick.

90th (+4) minute 

And the regular time is over. We’re heading into extra time here. **Alliance 2, Imperials 2**.

 

Full time: 

The second half began rather rough and with two very disputable scenes, but when Veers equalized in the 69th minute, it became a rollercoaster ride. Tarkin seemed to have won it for the Imperials with a curling shot, but Erso struck back two minutes from time. We’ll be right back with the extra time!

* * *

" _It’s been late heartbreak for the Imperials here, who struck back after falling behind just to suffer an equalizer with only two minutes remaining on the clack. A harsh moment to concede, but overall, a fair result?"_

_"I think so, yes. Even if the penalty call was a soft one, the Alliance has been impressive today and even had a slight advantage when it comes to goalscoring opportunities. True to the words of their goalscorer Erso, they fought until the end. But it’s not over yet and we have thirty more minutes full of action ahead of us!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In an earlier draft, Krennic's "Are you blind?" line was originally directed at the assistant referee Chirrut, who calmly replied "Yes, didn't you notice?"


	5. Extra time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the match tied at 2-2, thirty more minutes might decide who wins the Galaxies League Finale!

* * *

“We’re back at the Tarsus Valorum Stadium and we really needed that breather! The first half was entertaining already, but the teams really notched up their performances after the break!”

“The expectations for this match were very high and no one here can claim to be disappointed. We had everything: Difficult decisions, cards, a penalty, four goals and two comebacks. I’m getting giddy thinking about what the extra time might have in store for us.”

“But first, we have to talk briefly about the events we have witnessed already. Starting with the penalty call that led to the Alliance lead. We have seen many replays now and our initial impression that it was a soft call has been remedied a bit.”

“Yes, the initial replay made it look like Erso was going down very easily, but a different ankle had the solution. It was no intentional foul by Lennox, but nevertheless, he brought her down by accident and that’s a penalty, no matter how bitter it is for the Imperials. Brilliantly executed penalty kick from Andor by the way.”

“A lot to do for the referee in the first fifteen minutes, a lot of fouls and nasty challenges, two player altercations. What’s your assessment of Mr. Štrba’s performance so far?”

“First of all, refereeing these games is never an easy job. If you’re being too lax, the players will exploit it, if you use too many cards, you put yourself under pressure and if you’re not consequent, there will be a lot more ruckus in the game. I can back every single of his decisions: the penalty, no red card for Motti, no red card for Andor and the other disciplinary sanctions. Sure, both Motti and Andor could not have complained if they had been sent off, but I think it would only had led to an even more heated match.”

“It looked like the Alliance was on its way to the title. At least for fifteen minutes until Veers equalized with a fine individual effort.”

“Yes, an often neglected Maximilian Veers showed just what kind of weapon he can be. Maybe not the master technician, but he brought in the vigorous effect the Imperial team sorely missed. And we should not forget what a beautiful attack followed nine minutes after the 1-1 and led to the Imperial lead. A beauty, we simply have to watch it again.”

“Now it appeared as if the Imperials would defend their title, but they completely forgot about Erso and it came back to bite them.

“They did good in keeping the main danger men quiet in the final minutes, but it doesn’t matter how tall you are, if you give an opponent that much space, it might come back to bite you. Brilliant header from Erso, brilliant cross from Andor and if we have a look at the entire game, the draw after ninety plus minutes is well deserved.”

“I see the players are getting ready for the extra time. Which team is gonna lift the trophy at the end of the night? Will we know more after thirty more minutes or will it all come down to a penalty drama?”

* * *

She only had five minutes to prepare her team. It hurt her to shush them and remind them to calm down again. Yes, the late equalizer had been wonderful and the new confidence would serve them well. But nothing was won yet and too much confidence could be just as bad as too little. Mothma knew the Imperials had experience, even with these crucial situations and setbacks. Her young squad didn’t experience something similar. Their way to the final had been quite smooth, no extra time or penalty shoot-outs. It was terra incognita they were entering.

* * *

“It seems your incompetence does know no bounds.”

Palpatine’s gaze levelled every single one of his player’s. His already wrinkled face had turned almost yellow now and his voice was raucous with displeasure.

“You have thirty more minutes to redeem yourselves. All of you. Otherwise, this will be the last time you wear this jersey.”

His robes fluttering behind him, he turned around and scuffed back towards the Imperial bench.

* * *

22:05 

No changes for the start of extra time. As a reminder: The Imperial can still make a fourth change, the Alliance only made one substitution so far. It could be important as the strength declines. It’s been a fast-paced game after all.

91st minute 

The Imperials get the extra time underway!

93rd minute 

Slow start so far with both teams primarily focusing on keeping the ball in their possession. Seems like they want to recharge their batteries for the moment.

94th minute 

Krennic attempts to carve out a chance and tries his luck from long range. His shot is always going over.

**95th minute** : Yellow Card: Jyn Erso (Alliance Rogues United) 

No surprise here. Soft call against Rook for a slight push on Krennic, who goes down rather spectacularly. Erso comes to her teammates' defence and has a few not so nice words for the referee, who can’t let that slide. Rather unnecessary caution here, but that’s Jyn Erso for you.

* * *

The foul decision itself wouldn’t have been enough to call Jyn into action. Sure, it was never even an infringement in her opinion, but she wasn’t that hot headed that she would argue with the referee over every single decision he had gotten wrong. That would have been outright foolish.

No, it was what happened after Bodhi’s slight push - never enough to seriously upend someone like Krennic, who wasn’t necessarily bulky, but still tall and weighed a lot more than scrawny Bodhi. Krennic went down easily, but even while on his back, he turned around towards Bodhi and aimed a kick at his ankle, well hidden from the referee, whose view was blocked by another grey shirt.

The target wasn’t chosen at random. Krennic knew just as well as Jyn that Bodhi had missed two matches after a rather nasty incident in the Rogues’ group stage match against her mother’s old friend Saw and his Partisans. One of Saw’s tougher and nastier players with the peculiar name Bor Gullet had stepped on Bodhi’s ankle after the Alliance player had made a tackle. The referee had judged it as intentional and sent Gullet off with a direct red card, but the damage was done. Bodhi’s ankle had been damaged, several sinew torn and had to be stretchered off.

And this very ankle had been Krennic’s target. And that was why Jyn sprinted halfway across the field to make a case for a similar punishment to the one Gullet had received.

* * *

He had decided to adopt a less lenient line for added time. It wasn’t a very good idea to change one’s foul detection during a game, as it wasn’t fair towards the players who would suddenly get punished for something he would not whistle in the first ninety minutes. But the stakes were higher now and the incidents he had seen so far had been nasty enough. Štrba was determined not to allow any more of them.

Rook’s push was a small one, but still punishable. There appeared to be a tangle of legs before Krennic and the young defender separated, but his view was blocked and there were no signs that anything had happened.

Which was why Štrba was surprised and - truth be told - a bit annoyed when Jyn Erso sprinted towards him, anger written on her otherwise beautiful face.

“Haven’t you seen that?! He tried to kick him!” She came way too close to him and despite her small stature, she radiated anger. Štrba decided to calm her down a bit.

“Nothing serious,” he replied, eyes on Krennic, who smiled innocently while he got up. Rook was long gone, back on his position on the flank.

“Nothing serious? It seems you and I have read different definitions of violent conduct!”

“Miss Erso, rest assured, I’m fully aware of what the rules dictate.”

“Yeah, do you?” Jyn fired back, her tone now somewhere between annoyed and provocating.

Štrba’s smile turned sour. “Yes. And the rules clearly say that ‘dissent by word or action' is to be penalized with a yellow card.”

As he spoke, he retrieved the piece of colourful cardboard from his breast pocket and held it above his head in her direction.

_Fair is fair. After all, Krennic got the same treatment._

* * *

96th minute 

Not a lot soccer in this extra time, but we have other stuff to keep us entertained. Like Andor basically hugging Erso until she calms down and then passing her to Malbus for further safe-keeping. In the meantime, Krennic and Tarkin have a rather intense discussion over who will execute the free kick.

* * *

Cassian knew trouble was brewing when he witnessed Jyn tearing across the field. She and Bodhi had always been close, as their right back had been one of Galen’s protégés when he had been a youth coach. They were almost as close as siblings and more than once various people made the suggestion to have Jyn play on the right wing, as she and Bodhi got along very well. Knowing that she had to help Bodhi grounded Jyn’s sometimes too daring impulses and knowing she had his back calmed him and gave him more confidence. As good as Leia and Jyn both were, they were too similar sometimes.

Whatever happened - Cassian hadn’t witnessed the scene, too busy marking Tarkin - seemed to upset her so much that she got into quite a discussion with the referee, despite knowing that this seldom brought the desired result. He made his way over there - as a captain he told himself, not as her boyfriend - and arrived just in time to hear the referee book her.

It seemed to enrage Jyn even more - truly, the man with the whistle had been a bit too condescending - but before she could open her mouth to reply, Cassian basically grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to his chest and turning around with her still locked in his embrace. Jyn was far too flabbergasted to react and pouted (which had not the desired effect, as Cassian thought it made her look cute. He would never tell her though, he wasn’t crazy.) Baze arrived and Cassian gently put her down next to the burly midfielder, who lightly touched her shoulder and whispered something that made her smile.

Unbeknownst to them, one of their teammates had witnessed the scene just like Jyn had.

* * *

While a bit of drama unfolded surrounding the foul, another one was developing a few metres away.

“A sufficient performance. I will take upon me the responsibility to graft it.”

Krennic scowled with anger and he almost looked like a wounded animal when he bared his teeth and snarled. “We stand here amidst my achievement! Not yours! Mine! I will take it!”

“Eh, whenever you are ready.” Štrba told at the Imperials, clearly a bit unsure what exactly was going on.

* * *

97th minute 

Krennic takes it. Straight into the wall. Tarkin seems disappointed.

**99th minute** : Yellow Card: Han Solo (Alliance Rogues United) 

The Alliance Mavericks do their part to even the disciplinary statistics. After some neat one touch football involving Andor, Organa and Antilles, Solo is released on the right. He tries to dribble past Vader, who had rushed far out his goal, but immediately goes down. Štrba isn’t fooled and brandishes a caution for diving.

* * *

“No, no, no, you don’t fool me, up. Up!” Štrba sounded annoyed as he hastened towards the scene of the crime. The “foul” had been way out of the penalty area, but it was still a major decision. If Vader had hit Solo, it would have been a case of DOGSO - denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity - and therefore a straight red.

“Pavel, no contact, dive!” His assistant, Petr, yelled out of his earpiece and that was the final piece of evidence he needed to brandish a yellow card to Solo, who at least had the decency to be a bit ashamed.

As the Alliance player jogged back, Štrba thought he heard him murmur. “Can’t blame a man for trying.”

* * *

100th minute 

And yet another in-game “fighting” scene. Organa has some rather clear words for her teammate and occasional boyfriend.

* * *

“Brilliant idea, laserbrain,” Leia spat as Han moved past her, head slightly lowered. “Next time you do this, I will ensure you won’t remain on the field myself.”

* * *

**101st minute** : Yellow Card: Davits Draven (Alliance Rogues United) 

Apparently, there was more to the scene that led to the yellow card for Erso than it met the eye. Krennic is scythed down by Draven, a needless and therefore uncharacteristic foul from the centre-back. Sixth yellow card for the Alliance.

102nd minute 

Ah, a rather pleasant scene for a change. Erso tries to get a cross in from the left corner flag, but despite her desperate lunge, the ball leaves the field of play. Gideon Tarkin upholds his reputation as a gentleman and is immediately on hand to help her up. Charming gesture.

* * *

Jyn had done her best, but after a bit more than 100 minutes, no one was as fast as he or she had been at the beginning at the match, not even the mini powerhouse that was Jyn Erso.

Pulling her shin guards back up, she was surprised by a pale hand that suddenly appeared in her line of sight, joined by a calm, mellifluous voice with an English accent. “May I help you?”

The voice belonged to a rather pale and gaunt face which was embellished by a smile that reached the eyes of the man and made it look sincere. Only the number on his shorts and the missing captain’s armband made it clear that his was Gideon, Wilhuff’s younger brother.

“Eh, thank you,” she replied, a bit confused by this kind action she had not expected from an Imperial, taking his hand. One pull later, both were standing again and Jyn made her way back towards the halfway line.

* * *

**104th minute** : Sending off: Orson Krennic (Imperial Stars) 

Game-changing moment maybe! Krennic loses patience after surrendering possession once again to Erso, who has come back to help her defenders, and rather clearly chops her down. That’s a stonewall caution and as he has already been booked, he is off! He really did his team a disservice here. Tarkin looks he could strangle him. Lucky for Krennic, Vader’s too far away to do so.

* * *

Štrba congratulated himself that he had found a way to avoid a sending off for almost 105 minutes, but now, he had no choice. Krennic’s foul was a tactical one, rather rough too and every one on the pitch and in the stands knew what was coming.

Erso still laid on the grass when the referee arrived at the scene of the crime, yellow card already in his hand. A few moments of nestling with the hook and loop fastener of his back pocket and the red card came out.

Krennic marched of the pitch without a word, his face stone still. Captain Tarkin’s gaze drilled itself into the back of his teammate. If looks could kill, Krennic would have fallen down and never got up again.

Coach Palpatine seethed with anger and fired a water bottle towards his bench.

* * *

Half-time extra time: 

A rather slow first half without big highlights. Krennic’s expulsion could sway the momentum in the Alliance’s favor though.

* * *

There wasn’t much time, just one or two minutes as the teams swapped sides. Mothma hastened on the pitch and her players immediately gathered around them. They looked tired, physically and mentally, but they were so close.

“We have them now. Their down to ten and just as tired as we are. You must press and try to force the issue nor, or it will all go down to pure luck. We wan’t to avoid that! Mobilize your last reserves!” It was a rather aggresssive speech, but if not now, then when?

* * *

106th minute 

After a short break, we are back underway. Both coaches prepare substitutions.

107th minute 

Solo tries to release Erso, but Gideon Tarkin has it handled. Throw-in for the Imperials deep into their own half and the opportunity for the changes has arrived.

**107th minute** : Substitution: In: Mytus Adema, Out: Natasi Daala (Imperial Stars) 

Palpatine replaces his second striker Daala, who has faded visibly, and introduces a young, versatile player. Mytus Adema will help to stabilize the midfield, which has shown some gaps after Krennic’s second yellow.

**107th minute** : Substitution: In: Kes Dameron, Out: Leia Organa (Alliance Rogues United) 

Impressive performance by Organa tonight. Dameron takes over for the final minutes. Maybe Mothma is already thinking about penalties. Dameron has scored seven out of seven in the last two seasons.

* * *

“You did so well, Leia. I’m so proud of you,” Mothma told the slightly disappointed young woman as she embraced her. “But I needed a pair of fresh legs, it could make the difference now, you understand.”

Her left back nodded serenely before taking the jacket Ackbar offered her and sat down on the bench, slapping hands with her teammates still sitting there.

* * *

109th minute 

With the one man advantage, the Alliance tries its best to decide the game without the penalty lottery. But the Imperial defence holds firm.

110th minute 

Why not? Andor has some space and tries his luck from 25 metres out. Just wide of the left post, Vader would have been there, to be fair.

111th minute 

It’s a real drudgery for both teams here. Dameron and his fresh legs are additional support for the mercurial Erso, but so far, Gideon Tarkin and Adema have been up to the task. Another cross is blocked.

113th minute 

Exoneration for the Imperials, but Piett runs out of options and has to go for a long-distance effort. Easy safe for Chewbacca.

**115th minute** : Substitution: In: Kay Tuesso, Out: Luke Skywalker (Alliance Rogues United) 

Third substitution for the Alliance. An ambivalent night for Skywalker who missed four excellent opportunities and was rather invisible for some times. Towering Kay is introduced as a battering ram.

* * *

On the stands, an ill-shaven man around fifty made his displeasure about the latest substitution well known by caterwauling in an oversized megaphone he had somehow managed to smuggle inside the stadium.

“BOO! Luke you’re the best!”

Even the striker heard it on the bench, hanging his head and shame and stammering an apology towards Mothma. “It’s just my Uncle Ben. He’s gotten a bit… over the top lately.”

Mothma couldn’t hide a small smile at the young man’s discomfort. She had dealt with way worse comments over the years.

* * *

116th minute 

The lively Erso immediately tries to find her new striker, but her cross is too high even for the almost seven foot tall Kay.

* * *

“Heavens, Jyn, who was supposed to get that cross? An eagle flying over the stadium?”

“Sorry, I was afraid of hitting you. I need more target practice.”

Kay just looked down at her - literally - before shaking his head and focusing back on the game.

* * *

118th minute 

After a push from Tagge, Antilles earns a free-kick on the left wing. Andor brings it in and it’s dangerous, but none of his teammates gets the final touch to convert.

119th minute 

The Imperials, led by Romodi and Tarkin, are hanging on here. Vader claims yet another cross.

120th minute 

The penalty shoot-out is almost upon us! One minute of added time.

**120th (+1) minute** : GOAL! - 3:2 Rook (120. +1, right-footed shot, assist: Antilles) 

LATE DRAMA ONCE AGAIN!!!!! The Alliance have won it in added time of extra time! Draven’s long ball into the penalty area has desperation written all over it, but somehow, Kay rises highest and manages to divert it to the right side of the penalty area. Antilles claims it, but is closed down by two defenders. His backpass reaches Rook, who gathers the courage to try his luck from 18 meters. His shot takes deflections from both Yularen and Needa and therefore leaves Vader stranded! 3:2!

* * *

One year ago, Bodhi would have never taken the shot. In the Imperial academy, they had been drilled and drilled and drilled again. Never take the shot. You’re wing backs. It’s your job to defend and to bring in crosses. Nothing more. Leave the shots to the strikers or players assigned by the coach.

The first few games, it had been hard for him to take shots. The first time he tried, it was in the home leg against Red Hutts Nar Shaddaa and they had been 5-0 up. It was the 89th minute and Bodhi had been looking around, but there was absolutely no other alternative. So he tried his luck.

He nearly hit the corner flag.

Bodhi had two more similar scenes after that, both times he tried a pass - and lost the ball. Until after one training session, Jyn, Wedge and Cassian had tracked him down. From that moment on, Bodhi had extra shift duty after each training.

He took a few shots from time to time. Like one every three games. They’d gotten better, but still, it wasn’t his strength. Bodhi picked up six assists and that was more than decent.

In this particular minute, he was twenty, twenty-five yards away from the goal, half waiting for a loose ball, half on guard to stop a potential Imperial break.

It all happened way too fast. People always claimed that in such moments, time stood still. For Bodhi, it was all one moment. The ball bouncing off Kay, Wedge raising his head and picking him out. And contrary to custom, Bodhi hit it.

It wasn’t very good, but one and then another grey leg got a touch and suddenly, the ball was in the back of the net.

Two seconds later, Bodhi nearly got a panic attack. Was it Jyn jumping on his back, was it Baze who lifted him up from behind? He did not know. Bodhi didn’t see anything, just heard the whole stadion scream like crazy, mixed with the cheers of his teammates.

* * *

120th (+2) minute 

The reactions are pure madness, everyone on the Alliance bench rushed to celebrate with the players. Poor Rook hasn’t been seen for a long time. He’ll need medical assistance after that bear hug from Malbus alone, I’d wager.

120 (+3) minute 

The game starts again, but there can’t be much time left. Tarkin immediately goes for a long ball, which Dameron stirs away for a throw-in.

**120th (+4) minute** : Substitution: In: Shara Bey, Out: Wedge Antilles (Alliance Rogues United) 

Final exchange to win some more time. Antilles, who was splendid tonight, joins his teammates on the bench. Shara Bey can claim to have played (and more importantly: won) a final.

* * *

They had lost. It was inconceivable.

* * *

120th (+5) minute 

A final high ball from Yularen goes out for a goal kick and then it is over! The Alliance wins with three goals to two after extra time!

 

Full time: 

We thought we had seen it all after the late equalizer in regular time, but this game had another thriller up its sleeve! The Alliance beats defending champions Imperial Stars with 3-2 after extra time thanks to a goal at the death from right-back Bodhi Rook. Krennic’s sending off tipped the favor towards the Alliance, but the first title for Mothma’s team is well deserved after 120 minutes that fulfilled all expectations. It’s goodnight from Gylfi Þórsson, but don’t leave us just yet! Rivoche Tarkin and Voren Na’al will continue to cover the celebrations and have the assessments from experts, fans, players and staff waiting for you. The night has just begun!


	6. The Victory Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Alliance Rogues celebrate their victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [Ivaylo](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivaylo/pseuds/Ivaylo), we have an amazing piece of fanart Jyn and Cassian in their jerseys: [Here!](http://crazy-fruit.tumblr.com/post/166083974342/go-rogues-ich-hoffe-du-wei%C3%9Ft-zu-sch%C3%A4tzen-dass)

* * *

When the final whistle sounded, Mon Mothma didn’t jump for joy. That wasn’t her, not even in such a moment of triumph. But her smile was bigger than ever, not sober or amused, but filled with genuine elation. She wanted to savour the moment. Record all the little details. Like Kes and Shara openly kissing each other on the field, Kay carrying Bodhi around on his shoulders, Chirrut and Baze reuniting somewhere between the bench and the centre circle.

The substitutes had stormed the field immediately after the match had ended, joined by Mothma’s staff. Only Ackbar, her assistant, remained behind, standing next to her like he always did. Although she wanted to keep her eyes on the pure joy in front of her, respect demanded to acknowledge his part in it as well. Not the she was vain enough to believe she could have done it alone.

“Thank you, Gial,” she said and was surprised how teary and drained her voice sounded. She wasn’t one to scream instructions without pause, but apparently, the final minutes had carried her off just as much as the others.

The large hand of her assistant shook her own. “It has been a pleasure and an honor, Ma’am,” he replied, sounding grave and reserved, but that was his way of speaking. He was just as elated as the rest of them.

“The honor has been mine.”

She tried to spot Palpatine for a handshake, a fair gesture of sportsmanship, but the Imperial coach had already disappeared in the catacombs of the Tarsus Valorum Stadium. She wasn’t disappointed at all, more relieved she wouldn’t have to touch the old, weathery hand.

There were far more enjoyable things to do now.

* * *

On the stands in the grey-clad Imperial part of the stadion, a teary-eyed boy with red hair, sporting an Imperial jersey, shorts and scarf in the colours of his team, asked his father. “Why did they loose, Dad?”

“Because they were weak,” Brendol Hux, a severe, joyless man answered harshly. “You won’t be.”

* * *

“I still can’t believe what we saw, Voren. Do you recall a finale with that much action, plot twists, unlikely heroes and spectacular goals that comes even remotely close to this one?”

“Nothing comes to mind, no. This great sport has seen a lot of drama and that’s why millions across the globe love it. But this, what we saw today here, is extraordinary and we will wait a long time to witness something similar again. Added time was almost tame, which was to be expected, but the Alliance had one last arrow in the quiver. We talked about it at the start of our broadcast, Alliance players with Imperial past. And Rook - overlooked in the Imperial youth teams - is the one to score. With a huge slice of luck, but luck is with the brave and the tenacious. The Alliance has been hungrier today, more passionate and at least on this evening, youth and passion won over experience. A wonderful story, let it be a motivation for all who need it out there!”

“I fully agree. And we have the first wave of interviews coming right up and pass the ball to Darmian Rinaldi. Darmian, you're up.”

* * *

“Thanks, Rivoche. I’m here with Obi-Wan ‘Ben’ Kenobi, former defender of the now defunct team ‘Jedi Knights’ and uncle of Luke Skywalker, who won the cup for the Alliance Rogues today. Mr. Kenobi, it’s been a long time since we last spoke to each other…”

“I’m so proud of him! I’m basically his dad. Well, not really, I mean his father is his father, if you know what I’m saying, but he isn’t around. So I’m his dad, you know. And I’m so proud of him. The composure, his liveliness, his pure energy. Just like his father, but without the arrogance. Did you hear that, Anakin! Without the arrogance. Nothing like, ‘I can shoulder more responsibility’, no ‘I’m the best Jedi in existence’. Nothing of that BS!”

“And that was Obi-Wan Kenobi, former…”

“You failed as a dad, just as you failed me as a student and a friend. And for what? For nothing? Your shiny trophies are worthless, you…”

“Mr. Kenobi, give me back my microphone…”

“You hear that, Anakin? Your son is better than you ever will be…”

“Mr. Kenobi… Help!”

* * *

“We, eh, apologize for this little, eh, incident, sometimes even the best of us, get, um, carried away. I guess. While we wait for additional voices, Voren, what do you think of Luke Skywalker. He was certainly not at his best today and let quite a number of chances go begging.”

“You're right as always, Rivoche, but he is a young striker, only nineteen. We can’t expect from him to shine in every match. Sure, he had plenty chances and without doubt, he should have been on the scoresheet. But the Alliance won this one through team effort. That means when or if one of their key players is having a not-so-good day, the others are there to help him out.”

“And Darmian has found another proud parent. Darmian, please.”

* * *

“Yes, and they are not any less prominent than our first, eh, guest. It is my pleasure and an honor to welcome Bail Prestor Organa and Breha Organa, both once star players in the Republic and two-time Galaxy League winners themselves. Bail and Breha, your daughter Leia has been fantastic as a left-back throughout the tournament, but especially tonight. Is it even greater to see one’s child win the trophy than winning it yourself?”

“It is different, but I’m just as emotional right now. I mean… Sorry…”

“It’s okay darling, I’ll take it. I believe Breha and I agree that as fantastic as it was lifting the trophy yourself, seeing Leia - at her age - win it and just… have a performance tonight that I haven’t seen from any defender in the past few years. It’s just unbelievable. I’m so, so proud of her. I mean, the determination, her passion, her commitment is nothing but stellar. She never had it easy with the comments about my friendship with Mon Mothma, but it will be easier to ignore these naggers now.”

“Leia’s strong. She wants to go her own way and it’s hard as a parent to accept that, but you have to let your children explore life on their own. Seeing them achieve success is just… indescribable.”

“Thank you, Bail and Breha Organa, I don’t want to keep you from joining the festivities any longer.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

“We have talked about Luke Skywalker, but Leia Organa is another youngster in the Alliance lineup. Taking into account how difficult it is too shine as a defender, how would you rate her performance?”

“She was brilliant. Bail Organa sad it all: Passion, determination, never giving up. She shut down traffic on her flank completely and had that vital goalline clearance just at the stroke of half-time. Who knows how the match would have ended without that? Playing as a fullback in a 4-3-3 is extremely difficult, you have to find a balance between defending and attacking, and she did so marvelously.”

“I hear we have one more interview coming in before we cut back to the field and the victory ceremony.”

* * *

“Captain Wilhuff Tarkin, thank you for agreeing to speak with us despite the painful loss you and your teammates suffered today. Conceding at the very last second of extra time was certainly harsh on your team. In your opinion, why did you not manage to defend your title?”

“Because they wanted it more. From time to time, discipline fails to prevail against impetus, commitment and luck. We have to admit that they weren’t the second best team today, far from it, to be honest. We failed to execute our orders, our plans and allowed them to dictate the run of them game. Overall, we only had brief stages where we dominated them. That could have been enough, but we lacked the utter concentration necessary to win.”

“Very honest words, Sir. Did you underestimate your opponents?”

“Maybe. We certainly played like we did. I could say: No, we didn’t. But looking at our performance begets the conclusion you have voiced. We knew they had fast strikers and the means to get them where it hurts. We failed to counter it appropriately and paid the penalty.”

“Are you angry about the penalty? It certainly influenced the game.”

“Only cowards need to shift the blame. We were lucky we did not fall behind earlier and regardless if the penalty was correct or not, we nevertheless turned the game around. What defeated us was our own defending today, as individuals and as a team.”

“Is this defeat a signal that the Imperial team needs some new blood - on and off the pitch?”

“That’s for the club’s management to decide. We have several talented young players who will get more time on the pitch in the future, I’m sure of it. But we’ll see about that another day."

“Thank you, captain.”

* * *

“Thank you, Darmian. And we’re back on the pitch with the pictures of the victory ceremony. Enjoy!”

* * *

His team would be the first up there, the first to shake the hands of the federation officials, the first to get their medals. It felt a bit weird, to be frank, considering they would receive them even if their performance had been abysmal. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the medal and the ceremony, it was an honor in fact and he had already decided to give it an honored place inside his house, but still. It was a bit weird.

They had a decent game overall. Sure, people would argue about the penalty tomorrow and about several other decisions. Maybe he should have sent some players off earlier, maybe some details could have been better. Overall, he was sure that their performance had been decent enough, on a level that was worthy of the great match that had been played.

As he shook the hands of the officials and bowed to receive his medal, Pavel Štrba knew he would sleep well that night.

As a referee, that was all he could hope for.

* * *

Davits Draven never thought he would feel elated due to the misery of a vanquished foe. He was tough, gruff and some might even say rude, but such behavior had always been beneath him.

Still, he could not deny the satisfaction he felt as he marched past the Imperial team, most of which had taken off their silver medals as soon as they had received them. Only both Tarkins still had them hanging around their neck and the younger one slightly nodded as Draven passed him by.

It felt like it took ages until it was his turn, as the last of the players. He forced himself to smile as he shook the old hand of Pepb Slatter, a small, old and despicable man who had become the chairman of this federation through dubious methods. In Draven’s eyes, he was a parasite feeding on this sport.

When they were finally ready to receive the cup, Andor was nowhere to be found. It was the captain’s job to be the first to lift the trophy, but Draven's search was in vain. Erso was missing too.

Normally, he would have reprimanded them for such behavior. But tonight, they had earned it.

It would be unfair and unjust to deny it them their own private celebration, especially considering Organa and Solo were shamelessly snogging in front of the nearest camera and Dameron and Bey weren’t PG-rated in showing their affections either.

Well, he guessed, it was up to him now.

The cup was heavy, heavier than it looked. But even Davits Draven felt the adrenaline of victory as he stemmed the trophy in the air while he teammates cheered around him and the fireworks went off.

* * *

Amidst a shower of confetti, Baze hugged Bodhi again, who just stood there with wide eyes, taking everything in and saving it in his memory to remember in the years to come. Amidst all the cheering and laughing, no one heard him murmur.

“I’m the goal scorer? I am the goal scorer!”

* * *

On the stands, Galen Erso was sobbing uncontrollably and Lyra had to support her husband to keep him from falling over. Half hugging her, half leaning on her shoulder, he blubbered out.

“I’m so proud of her. I’m so proud of our Stardust, Lyra.”

With a look of pure affection, his wife nodded. “I am too, Galen. I am too,” and proceeded to softly stroke his greying hair.

* * *

Behind the stage that took over most of the pitch, two figures were were melted into a close embrace.

“Do you think anybody is listening?” Jyn whispered between two kisses.

Cassian smirked a bit. “No. All eyes and ears are on the stage.”

“Excellent,” was her reply before their mouths fused together again. They ignored everything around them, the confetti, the flurry of the camera flashes, the music, the joyful screams of their teammates.

“You know,” Cassian began, as if the idea just had come to him. “Now that the season is over, how about we make all this… official?”

Jyn’s eyes widened. “Official? How official?”

“Let’s say: They’ll need new names on our our shirts from now on."

After a few seconds that felt like forever, he added. “What do you think?” For the first time today, his voice betrayed nervousness.

Jyn kissed away his worries with a peck to the lips, smirking. “I think the name ‘Andor-Erso’ would look very nice on the jerseys. Plus, two players with the same name will confuse our opponents.”

Cassian couldn’t help but laugh. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Now. Enough talking. Do something else with your lips.”

Cassian grinned. “As you wish.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done, just a final match report will be added soon!


	7. Match Report

**Galaxies League Finale 16/17**

Tarsus Valorum Stadium - Serenno

Attendance: 75,198

Saturday, 14 July 2017

20.45 CET (20.45 Local Time)

 

**Alliance Rogues United - Imperial Stars 3:2 after extra time (2:2 after regular time, 0:0 at half-time)**

Goals scored:

**1:0** Andor (55., foul penalty, left-footed shot, given away by Needa for a challenge on Erso)

**1:1** Veers (69., right-footed shot, Assist: Tagge)

**1:2** W. Tarkin (77., right-footed shot, Assist: Piett)

**2:2** Erso (88., header, Assist: Andor)

**3:2** Rook (120. +1, right-footed shot, Assist: Antilles)

 

**Alliance Rogues United**

Lineup (4-3-3): Chewbacca - Rook, Draven, Melshi, Organa - Malbus - Îmwe, Andor © - Antilles, Skywalker, Erso

Substitutions: 79\. Solo replaces Îmwe, 107. Dameron replaces Organa, 115. Kay replaces Skywalker, 120. +4 Bey replaces Antilles

Bench: Dodonna (GK), Tonc, Sefla

Coach: Mon Mothma

 

**Imperial Stars**

Lineup (4-4-2): Vader - Lennox, Yularen, Romodi, Ramda - Tagge - W. Tarkin ©, Krennic - Veers - Motti, Daala

Substitutions: 38\. Needa replaces Ramda, 63. Piett replaces Motti, 84. G. Tarkin replaces Lennox, 107. Adema replaces Daala

Bench: Bast (GK), Ozzel, Jerjerrod

Coach: Simon Palpatine

 

Cautions:

Ramda (5., stopping a promising attack)

Yularen (34., stopping a promising attack)

Tagge (47., stopping a promising attack)

Malbus (49., tackle)

Lennox (54., stopping a promising attack)

Krennic (54., dissent by word or action)

Motti (57., tackle)

Andor (58., player altercation)

Melshi (87., stopping a promising attack/handball)

Erso (95., dissent by word or action)

Solo (99., simulation)

Draven (101., tackle)

Sending off:

Krennic (104., second yellow for stopping a proming attack)

 

**Match officials**

Referee: Pavel Štrba (Slovakia)

Assistant referees: Vladimír Vydra (Czech Republic), Petr Pekhart (Czech Republic)

Fourth official: Václav Rosický (Czech Republic)


End file.
